Introduction to Poetry

I began composing verse, somewhere around 1992 and soon after, I had the good fortune of coming in contact with a literary man who was a poet, critic, editor, teacher, political commentator. He was the public face of the literary and academic establishment in India. When he passed away in 2004, The Independent, of London described him as 'a poet's poet'. This personality's name is Nissim Ezekiel. As my mentor, critic and guide, he encouraged me to have the same faith that he had, in my work. That certainly propelled my thoughts to express in poetic forms more and more.

 

My poems are prompted by some kind of an inner vigour, by delight, even though most can be full of sorrow and strife. The delight is the outcome, when I feel, I have achieved in putting my heart's message in words, correctly. While the subject of a poem is brewing within me, there is always some amount of intellectual speculation going on. The full expression is often born through the wisdom gathered from other people's lives. By my poems, I pursue my joys, victories, failure, disappointments, dreams and realities. I firmly believe, poetry-writing frees me from the world of clutter and non-essentials. The whole process of completing a poem inspires me; everything in that poem is a form of prayer for me. I express. I surrender. I am cleansed. I confess, I am addicted to Poetry in all its aspects.


Geeta Chhabra